Agriculture in the Pacific Southwest

National Information

Agriculture News

The Pacific Southwest (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, the Pacific Island and Tribal Nations) supports the most productive agricultural economy in the United States. It occupies a quarter of the land area and pumps billions of dollars into the economy every year. Agriculture supports thousands of farm workers and produces an abundance of the commodities that feed and clothe us. However, agricultural production can also cause serious environmental problems.

U.S. EPA Region 9’s mission on agriculture is to address adverse agro-ecological effects, working within statutory mandates and federal regulations in collaboration with federal, state, tribal, local, and private partners. Region 9 conducts much of this work through collaborative partnerships with the agricultural community. The Agriculture Program works to enhance the long-term viability of the agricultural sector in the region, concentrating specifically on the San Joaquin Valley of California, which exhibits high levels of both agricultural activity and environmental contamination.